The Impact of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Waves on DNA Fragmentation Index and Spermatogenesis-related Genes Expression in Rats

Background: We aimed to evaluate the impact of radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW) with wavelengths equivalent to mobile phones on semen parameters and expression levels of spermatogenesis-related genes in rats. Methods: A total of 20 male adult Wistar rats weighing approximately 180 g were randomly allocated to two study groups in this controlled, parallel-design study. The case group was exposed to RF-EMW. The gene’s expression was assessed by real-time PCR for five target genes: ZBTB16, SCP3, ACR, ITGA6, and PRM1. Results: The DNA fragmentation index (DFI) assessment reveals a significant difference between the cases and the control group. There was a two-fold increase in ACR gene expression than in the RF-EMW exposure group. The contradictory result was seen in the other four genes, which showed that gene expression decreased to about 0.3 for PRM1 and SCP3, 0.5 for ITGA6, and 0.7 for ZBTB16. Sperm motility was not significantly different between the two groups, but morphology in the case group revealed higher abnormalities than in the control group. Conclusion: We recommend reducing exposure time to radiofrequency waves, and keeping cell phones away from our bodies as far as possible is safer. Additional studies are required to support our data.